COMPUTER WORD
Meeting at IHOP Restaurant, 510 El Camino Real,
Belmont each month on the 2nd Wednesday at 9 AM.
IHOP will provide separate checks --so pay your own bill. |
Subjects of the month are outlined below, We will then go
around the table to bring up any other items of current interest.
PREVIOUS MONTHS |
Want information on your computer questions come to the meet to get the current news on computers
This Newsletter is my summary of items about computers and technology that I select from various sources each month.
Individual items may be of interest to you and/or could be the foundation of a subject that you would like to discuss further
during your Computer and/or Technology Group meeting(s). In most cases the Newsletter provides a brief summary of each item
and a link to the original source material so that the author is given full credit and, if you desire, you can drill a little
deeper into the subject. Should you belong to more than one computer/technology group you may receive more than one copy of
this Newsletter as it is distributed to each group's mailing list. I've been asked to make the text large so it is easier
for we "young" SIR guys to read.
Please note: The links provided below were active when this was written. Some publishers inactivate links after publication
for various reasons including reducing server requirements. Should you find a non-working link, you might search for the
subject matter using Bing, Google, Yahoo or another appropriate search engine.
December 2017 SIR Computer/Technology Newsletter
1. How About Electric Airplanes?
In the not to distant future when part of your travel plans include a short range flight on a feeder carrier airline you may
find that flight powered by an electric motor fueled with electricity from an onboard battery pack. The days of using
fossil fuel for short range flights is beginning to come to an end. Electric powered aircraft are non-polluting, are quiet
and cost less to fuel and to maintain. Read the details of what is available today and what is coming in the future in
the article at the link.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/aviation/cheaper-lighter-quieter-the-electrification-of-flight-is-at-hand
2. Texting While Walking
We have all seen it - someone is walking but their eyes and their mind is focused on the screen of their smartphone. Next
this person trips on a curb at a crosswalk, or runs into another pedestrian, or is hit, or almost hit, by a vehicle, or trips
and falls. Watch pedestrians, particularly in urban areas, and you will see this over and over. The government's of a number
of jurisdictions, both in the U.S. and internationally, have or are taking action to control this distracted walking.
Honolulu has passed a law, that took effect on October 25, 2017, that allows police officers to write citations for $35
for viewing the screen of an electronic device while crossing a street. In September, the Board of Supervisors in San Mateo
County, Calif., unanimously passed a resolution prohibiting pedestrians' use of cellphones while crossing streets. It's not
enforceable, because California state law governs such issues, but a similar resolution is expected to go to the
California Legislature for statewide consideration in January 2018. Read the article at the link for details of what
others are doing to control distracted walking.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/business/honolulu-walking-and-texting-fine.html?emc=edit_th_20171024&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=45350125&_r=0
3. Technology Aids The Visually Impaired
Technology continues to provide us with aids to make many aspects of our life, personal and professional, both easier to
accomplish and faster to complete. Visually impaired people have been aided too with a number smartphone applications (apps)
"that can help them hail a ride, link to real-time maps and get to the nearest convenience stores. But avoiding a tree
branch obstructing a sidewalk after a storm or walking through a busy, rush-hour crowd, not to mention finding an office
in an unfamiliar building or locating the closest restaurant in a new neighborhood - there is no app for that." Now, a
visually impaired person can wear a wristband called Sunu that emits a high-frequency sound wave that bounces off objects
as far as 14 feet in front of the wearer and registers as a gentle, pulsing vibration on the arm. The closer the object is,
whether it's a wall, trash can or person, the more frequent the pulses become, letting the Sunu wearer create a mental map
of the surrounding world using echolocation. The device is similar to sonar devices being used in vehicles to sense nearby
objects and avoid crashes. Learn about Sunu technology in the article at the link.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2017/10/27/for-decades-the-blind-have-used-canes-to-get-around-now-an-special-wrist-band-helps-them-locate-hazards/?utm_term=.3e6d4052c83a&wpisrc=nl_innov&wpmm=1
4. New Airline "Black Boxes"
Every commercial airliner that transports people or freight (and most military aircraft) are equipped with highly survivable
recording devices, often called "black boxes", that provide valuable information to examiners should the airplane be
involved in a crash. Today there are two such recorders on airline airplanes. The first is a flight data recorder, that
continuously records hundreds of data points about the aircraft and its performance. The second is the cockpit voice
recorder, that continuously records the last two hours of all sounds in the cockpit, including the crew speaking, radio
calls, audible warnings and switches being moved. These recorders are designed to survive even violent crashes and
retrieving them from the wreckage is critical to crash investigations. A major problem of recovering the recorders from a
crash at sea continues to exist. Now Airbus has announced that in late 2019 it will equip new Airbus A350 aircraft with newly
designed "black box" recorders. There will still be two recorders but each will record both the flight data and the cockpit
sounds for the last 25 hours instead of the last two hours. The significant difference from the current recorders is that
if the aircraft crashes in water one of the new recorders will automatically detach from the wreckage, float to the
surface and continuously report its position to satellites for 150 hours, or about six days. The second recorder will
remain attached to the wreckage, but if in water, will transmit for 90 days, a sonar like location beacon. For more detail
you should read the article at the link.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/29/business/black-boxes-plane-crashes.html?emc=edit_th_20170930&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=45350125&_r=1
5. Is Your Data Being Sold on the Dark Web?
We all have heard of "the dark web", a strange place on the Internet, frequented by criminals and trouble makers who steal
your passwords, your data and your identity and then sell this information to others who make more trouble for you. The dark
web does exist. It is a dangerous place, so not for you, the average computer and Internet user to dig in to on your own. It
is smaller than most think but should be understood as any of us can fall victim to it and the nefarious characters who
focus on it. You can become knowledgeable and learn about the dark web by taking the time to read the article at the link.
There is no test or exam after you read this but you will know more than most computer users and no longer be apprehensive
about the "dark web".
https://www.csoonline.com/article/3205924/data-breach/is-your-data-being-sold-on-the-dark-web.html?idg_eid=3f70579c718d8ac1a8e7c51e97432381&email_SHA1_lc=a3745daaa9f2e7bd10c063b9fcd13f05e102b3a2&cid=ndr_nlt_idge_insider_newsletter_2017-11-07&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Insider%20Alert%202017-11-07&utm_term=idge_insider_newsletter
6. A 2nd Operating System, Running Secretly, On Your Computer
What operating system (OS) are you running on your computer? Linux? Microsoft Windows? Mac OS X?, or one of countless others.
Whichever OS you're running if you have a modern Intel CPU (released in the last few years) with Intel's Management Engine
built in, you've got another complete operating system running on your computer that you might not have had any clue was in
there: MINIX. This is an Intel OS that is built into every Intel manufactured processor and that you, the owner of the
computer with that processor, have absolutely no access. The MINIX OS includes a full networking stack, a file system,
many drivers and a web server. If you want to know more about MINIX, why Intel put it there and what risk it might be to
you and/or your computer you need to read the NetworkWorld article at the link.
https://www.networkworld.com/article/3236064/servers/minix-the-most-popular-os-in-the-world-thanks-to-intel.html?idg_eid=7fd09df7f8b34e1b17df6921fcee139d&email_SHA1_lc=&cid=nww_nlt_networkworld_data_center_alert_2017-11-07&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NWW%20Data%20Center%202017-11-07&utm_term=networkworld_data_center_alert
7. Completely Autonomous Cars On The Road In Arizona
In a major milestone for autonomous vehicles, Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Alphabet, the holding company
of Google, has ditched the backup drivers for its robot cars in and around Chandler, Arizona. The company will soon offer
the public the use of a fully autonomous taxi fleet. Waymo's retrofitted Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid minivans are now
doing autonomous test drives on public roads within a 100-square-mile area of Chandler, a Phoenix suburb. Eventually that
will expand to the entire sprawling Phoenix region. Initially, a Waymo employee will be aboard but in a back seat and not
behind the wheel. Waymo has been working on self driving cars since 2009 and has logged more than 3.5 million autonomous
miles on public roads in 20 U.S. cities plus 10 million miles a day in a virtual simulator, more than any other company.
For much more detail read the San Francisco Chronicle article at the link.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Look-ma-No-driver-Waymo-robot-cars-in-Arizona-12339152.php?t=ab063c1f41
8. Driverless Cars On California Roads By June 2018
For some time, people have wondered when completely autonomous cars - the kind without any human operators - would appear on
California roads. The state's residents now have a likely answer, one that suggests completely driverless vehicles could
arrive as early as June 2018, and possibly even sooner, when all of the State statutory requirements are met. There are 42
companies that already hold permits to test autonomous technology on California roads. Additionally there are 285 autonomous
vehicles licensed with the DMV and 996 drivers licensed to test those vehicles, State DMV officials said. Assuming the
state's final proposed rules are approved, those drivers would no longer need to ride inside autonomous test vehicles.
Learn more about autonomous vehicles in the Washington Post article at the link.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2017/10/11/driverless-cars-could-hit-california-roads-as-early-as-2018/?utm_term=.bd7d2b25ac12&wpisrc=nl_tech&wpmm=1
9. Laser Weapon On Jet Fighter Aircraft
Lockheed Martin has a contract to develop and demonstrate, by 2021, a laser weapon on a fighter jet aircraft. "The Pentagon
has been keenly interested in lasers for several years. Unlike bullets, bombs or missiles, they sizzle instead of boom and
can limit damage to a specific target, while limiting collateral damage. Lasers travel at the speed of light and are
relatively inexpensive. And with enough power, they can fire for long periods of time without running out of ammunition."
The Pentagon has tested lasers on ships, ground vehicles and aircraft larger than fighter jets. Star Wars is almost here.
More detail is in the article at the link.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/11/08/lockheed-martin-gets-ready-to-test-a-laser-weapon-on-a-fighter-jet/?utm_term=.0abfc7058c42&wpisrc=nl_tech&wpmm=1
10. First Digital Pill Approved By The FDA
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first digital device to be included in a prescribed medication in
pill form. The device will tell doctors when the medication was taken and will help in resolving the fact that millions of
patients do not take medications as prescribed by their physicians. The digital sensor, containing copper, magnesium and
silicon (safe ingredients found in foods), generates an electrical signal when splashed by stomach fluid and transmits data
to a small receiver in a skin patch worn by the patient. The skin mounted receiver communicates with an application running
on the patients smartphone which, in turn, sends the patient data to the physician. All the details are in the article at
the link.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/13/health/digital-pill-fda.html?emc=edit_na_20171113&nl=breaking-news&nlid=45350125&ref=cta
11. TIME's Best Inventions of 2017
Every year TIME Inc evaluates new inventions and selects the best top 25. TIME publishes their list, unranked, of the 25 that
made it to the final cut. The best of 2017 are covered in the article at the link.
http://time.com/5023212/best-inventions-of-2017/?utm_source=time.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the-brief&utm_content=2017111618pm&xid=newsletter-brief
12. Gifts For Those Who Want To Protect Their Data
The holiday season is upon us so what better time to consider gifts for friends, family and even ourselves, of items or
gadgets that will do an excellent job of protecting the recipient's digital data from unauthorized people. The article at
the link discusses three such gifts with descriptions of what each does, how it works and the suggested price. Give one to
someone you care about or give one to yourself.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/11/16/must-have-gifts-for-those-who-value-their-privacy/?utm_term=.761b0657022a&wpisrc=nl_tech&wpmm=1
13. FCC Attacks Robocalls
We all have received telephone calls from a computer with a recorded pitch delivering a sales message to you. Many of these
robocalls seem to arrive during dinner time or in the evening. You are not alone. Independent studies show that U.S.
consumers received about 2.4 Billion robocalls per month in 2016. Now, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), on
November 16, 2017, "approved new rules to protect consumers from unwanted robocalls, allowing phone companies to proactively
block calls that are likely to be fraudulent because they come from certain types of phone numbers." At the link is an FCC
press release explaining the new anti robocall rules.
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2017/db1116/DOC-347787A1.pdf
14. Tesla's Electric Big Rig Truck
Tesla Motors just announced its new all electric semi truck that will be available for delivery in 2019. A fully loaded
Tesla truck, moving at 60 mph, can travel 500 miles on a single battery charge easily supporting the average long haul truck
route of 250 miles. When compared to a diesel powered big rig, the Tesla truck has four independent electric motors with no
engine, no transmission and no differential. Tesla guarantees that its drive train will last for one million miles. The
electric truck's operational cost will be 20 cents per mile less expensive than a comparable diesel powered truck. Several
major truck operating companies have placed deposits on the electric Tesla truck including Wal-Mart, the world's largest
retailer with a fleet of about 6,000 trucks, who announced that the company initially has ordered five Tesla units for
Walmart U.S. and 10 units for Walmart Canada. See details, pictures and a video of the new truck in the article at the link.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2017/11/17/teslas-latest-creation-an-electric-big-rig-that-can-travel-500-miles-on-a-single-charge/?utm_term=.2c8b514fc502&wpisrc=nl_innov&wpmm=1
15. The Vanadium Redox-Flow Battery
Mobile phones, laptop computers, tablet computers, various remote controls, etc. all use rechargeable batteries that allow
the extension of the supported devices to almost anywhere. Battery technology has been developing at a pace similar to the
electronic device technology that the batteries support. The leading commercially used battery technology today is
lithium-ion, used in these mobile devices and now powering electric vehicles and providing small amounts of battery power
backup to individual homes and businesses. A newer technology, vanadium redox-flow batteries (VRFB), that started out as a
modest research project at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), a U.S. Department of Energy lab in Washington
state, is superior to lithium-ion in many ways. VRFB technology is being heavily supported by China where a VRFB plant
covering more than the area of 20 soccer fields opened in early 2017. The plant is on track to manufacture 300 megawatts
worth of VRFBs by the end of 2017 and meeting a long term goal of three gigawatts per year production. The batteries will
be used to equip a 200-megawatt, 800-megawatt-hour storage station backing up the entire power grid of Liaoning province
that serves about 40 million people. Should power demand spike on that grid, the battery station can dispatch all or part
of its 200 megawatts in milliseconds. Read much more about battery technology, VRFB's and where the Chinese and others
are headed in the IEEE article at the link.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/green-tech/fuel-cells/its-big-and-longlived-and-it-wont-catch-fire-the-vanadium-redoxflow-battery 